Mediterranean Area has an important role as a source of aromatic plants for the world's food, drug, herb, dietary supplement, and cosmetics markets. The most important characteristic of the Mediterranean Area is its bio-diversity, richness and climatic variations. The number of aromatic plants in Morocco is estimated at about 800 species. These plants represent an important business in Morocco. The aromatic plant (AP) sector plays a very important socio-economic role, with annual revenues generated from AP export of about 550 million Moroccan dirhams (about US$ 55.9 million, Euro 50.31 million). Italy is the country in Europe which uses most spices and herbs to improve the good quality of the ingredients. In the last four years, in Italy a +8,6% growth of spices market has been recorded and it carried a turnover of 62,3 million euro (USD$ 69.22 million) (FAO 2016). Currently, the demand for some species such as saffron and cumin has increased because their cultivation has a low environmental impact and they are a source of health-promoting compounds. These species contain many biologically active compounds, mainly polyphenolics, and have a large use in cooking. The cumin seeds are a good source of iron, manganese, potassium, zinc, essential amino acids, proteins, and other unsaturated fatty acids. Saffron has delicate purple flowers, with red stigmas that make the prestigious spice; its high price is due to the fact that it has to be picked by hand. In particular, Italian saffron from L'Aquila, S. Gimignano and Sardinia has received the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) trademark which indicates the quality, characteristics and properties that are significantly or exclusively determined by the geographical environment, including natural and human factors. In fact, the PDO product must be produced, processed and prepared in the designated region, area or country by using traditional production procedures, in accordance to set rules indicated in the PDO disciplinary. In Morocco, the PDO for saffron was registered in 2010; on 2012 the Moroccan Saffron Inter-Professional Federation (FIMASAFRAN) was created and it became the body responsible for protecting and managing the PDO in order to place Moroccan saffron in a better position on the international market. Nevertheless, cumin and saffron are seriously affected by different pathogenic fungi (Fusarium spp, Alternaria spp, Penicillium spp and Aspergillus spp) which cause destructive diseases that affect the production. Moreover, some of these fungi are mycotoxigenic fungi and may represent a qualitative damage to these plants. These spices are usually dried on the ground in the open air and in poor hygienic conditions that promote growth of moulds and production of mycotoxins. In Morocco, it was reported that some spices (cumin, pepper, ginger and paprika) available in the country could be contaminated with aflatoxins (Zinedine et al., 2006, Zinedine and Mañes, 2009). Recently, Mannani et al. (2019) reported that aflatoxins and ochratoxine A can co-occur in selected spices from Morocco. Due to their toxicity on humans and animals, mycotoxins are strictly regulated, particularly in Europe, in food products for human consumption. Use of fungicides represents the most common method to fight fungi growth (in particular Fusarium) nevertheless, synthetic fungicides are not allowed in food commodities neither in the spices. For this reason, ensuring food safety and quality by organic fungicides is important in the spices marketing (Pani G. et al. 2014; Oufensou S. et al. 2019). The research program evaluates the efficacy of a series of natural occurring compounds (phenylpropanoids, terpenes and cinnamic acid derivates) listed as GRAS (Generally Recognised as Safety) in order to develop a sustainable approach to protect high-value saffron and cumin cultivars from phytopatogens and mycotoxigenic fungi. A set of cumin and PDO saffron samples will be collected from Moroccan and Italian markets. Fungi isolation from raw material (CNR and BioMare Laboratory of UCD-CNRST) and their identification will be the first task, subsequently mycotoxin analysis content will be performed for collected spices (BioMare Laboratory of UCD-CNRST). Test in vitro of the most representative pathogenic fungi that affect saffron and cumin will be performed in the presence of selected natural compounds in order to counteract their pathogenic potential. Outcoming from the research already developed in the CNR laboratory (Balmas et al. 2006), a methodology will be investigated for PDO saffron bulb coating against foot root rot disease. In this methodology the most active compounds in mixture with sustainable bio-matrices, accepted as food commodities, will be used in order to increase the tackiness and bioavailability of the compounds. At the end of this project we will able to evaluate the fungicidal activity of 1 or 2 most active natural compounds in formulation with the most effective bio-matrix. The innovative aspects that will guide our proposal are: a) share the knowledge achieved by the Italian and Moroccan teams in the field of toxigenic moulds and mycotoxins that can contaminate saffron and cumin spices; b) give particular importance to innovative solutions to fight and prevent fungal growth and mycotoxins production, in particular using GRAS compounds. Sustainable synthesis of selected natural compounds will be expected in order to reach amount of product useful for bulb coating (CNR unit). In terms of valorisation and socio-economic impact, the acceptance of this proposal submitted by BioMare Laboratory of UCD-CNRST unit and CNR unit will offer a sustainable solution to the increasing concern about the presence of mycotoxins and pathogenic fungi in spices. The proposal is an initiative that will establish a sustainable and complementary scientific cooperation between two multidisciplinary research teams: CNR team is composed of four organic chemists of the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, expert in synthesis, characterization and study of natural phenols and polyphenols to be applied in agriculture, and of one phytopathologist of the University of Sassari experts in molecular and physiological plant-pathogen interactions and food safety. Over the last 10-years, the CNR and University research teams collaborate with the aim of controlling mycotoxin production in grains and cereals from Fusarium spp. by testing natural/natural-like molecules that can be applied with sustainable matrices to improve bioavailability of the compounds. Moroccan team of BioMare Laboratory of UCD-CNRST, composed of one microbiologist, two biochemists and two PhD students, carries out investigations on microbiological quality and safety foods.

Natural approach to control phytopathogens and mycotoxigenic fungi on saffron and cumin spices growing in the Mediterranean Area

Maria Antonietta Dettori;Paola Carta;Davide Fabbri;
2020

Abstract

Mediterranean Area has an important role as a source of aromatic plants for the world's food, drug, herb, dietary supplement, and cosmetics markets. The most important characteristic of the Mediterranean Area is its bio-diversity, richness and climatic variations. The number of aromatic plants in Morocco is estimated at about 800 species. These plants represent an important business in Morocco. The aromatic plant (AP) sector plays a very important socio-economic role, with annual revenues generated from AP export of about 550 million Moroccan dirhams (about US$ 55.9 million, Euro 50.31 million). Italy is the country in Europe which uses most spices and herbs to improve the good quality of the ingredients. In the last four years, in Italy a +8,6% growth of spices market has been recorded and it carried a turnover of 62,3 million euro (USD$ 69.22 million) (FAO 2016). Currently, the demand for some species such as saffron and cumin has increased because their cultivation has a low environmental impact and they are a source of health-promoting compounds. These species contain many biologically active compounds, mainly polyphenolics, and have a large use in cooking. The cumin seeds are a good source of iron, manganese, potassium, zinc, essential amino acids, proteins, and other unsaturated fatty acids. Saffron has delicate purple flowers, with red stigmas that make the prestigious spice; its high price is due to the fact that it has to be picked by hand. In particular, Italian saffron from L'Aquila, S. Gimignano and Sardinia has received the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) trademark which indicates the quality, characteristics and properties that are significantly or exclusively determined by the geographical environment, including natural and human factors. In fact, the PDO product must be produced, processed and prepared in the designated region, area or country by using traditional production procedures, in accordance to set rules indicated in the PDO disciplinary. In Morocco, the PDO for saffron was registered in 2010; on 2012 the Moroccan Saffron Inter-Professional Federation (FIMASAFRAN) was created and it became the body responsible for protecting and managing the PDO in order to place Moroccan saffron in a better position on the international market. Nevertheless, cumin and saffron are seriously affected by different pathogenic fungi (Fusarium spp, Alternaria spp, Penicillium spp and Aspergillus spp) which cause destructive diseases that affect the production. Moreover, some of these fungi are mycotoxigenic fungi and may represent a qualitative damage to these plants. These spices are usually dried on the ground in the open air and in poor hygienic conditions that promote growth of moulds and production of mycotoxins. In Morocco, it was reported that some spices (cumin, pepper, ginger and paprika) available in the country could be contaminated with aflatoxins (Zinedine et al., 2006, Zinedine and Mañes, 2009). Recently, Mannani et al. (2019) reported that aflatoxins and ochratoxine A can co-occur in selected spices from Morocco. Due to their toxicity on humans and animals, mycotoxins are strictly regulated, particularly in Europe, in food products for human consumption. Use of fungicides represents the most common method to fight fungi growth (in particular Fusarium) nevertheless, synthetic fungicides are not allowed in food commodities neither in the spices. For this reason, ensuring food safety and quality by organic fungicides is important in the spices marketing (Pani G. et al. 2014; Oufensou S. et al. 2019). The research program evaluates the efficacy of a series of natural occurring compounds (phenylpropanoids, terpenes and cinnamic acid derivates) listed as GRAS (Generally Recognised as Safety) in order to develop a sustainable approach to protect high-value saffron and cumin cultivars from phytopatogens and mycotoxigenic fungi. A set of cumin and PDO saffron samples will be collected from Moroccan and Italian markets. Fungi isolation from raw material (CNR and BioMare Laboratory of UCD-CNRST) and their identification will be the first task, subsequently mycotoxin analysis content will be performed for collected spices (BioMare Laboratory of UCD-CNRST). Test in vitro of the most representative pathogenic fungi that affect saffron and cumin will be performed in the presence of selected natural compounds in order to counteract their pathogenic potential. Outcoming from the research already developed in the CNR laboratory (Balmas et al. 2006), a methodology will be investigated for PDO saffron bulb coating against foot root rot disease. In this methodology the most active compounds in mixture with sustainable bio-matrices, accepted as food commodities, will be used in order to increase the tackiness and bioavailability of the compounds. At the end of this project we will able to evaluate the fungicidal activity of 1 or 2 most active natural compounds in formulation with the most effective bio-matrix. The innovative aspects that will guide our proposal are: a) share the knowledge achieved by the Italian and Moroccan teams in the field of toxigenic moulds and mycotoxins that can contaminate saffron and cumin spices; b) give particular importance to innovative solutions to fight and prevent fungal growth and mycotoxins production, in particular using GRAS compounds. Sustainable synthesis of selected natural compounds will be expected in order to reach amount of product useful for bulb coating (CNR unit). In terms of valorisation and socio-economic impact, the acceptance of this proposal submitted by BioMare Laboratory of UCD-CNRST unit and CNR unit will offer a sustainable solution to the increasing concern about the presence of mycotoxins and pathogenic fungi in spices. The proposal is an initiative that will establish a sustainable and complementary scientific cooperation between two multidisciplinary research teams: CNR team is composed of four organic chemists of the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, expert in synthesis, characterization and study of natural phenols and polyphenols to be applied in agriculture, and of one phytopathologist of the University of Sassari experts in molecular and physiological plant-pathogen interactions and food safety. Over the last 10-years, the CNR and University research teams collaborate with the aim of controlling mycotoxin production in grains and cereals from Fusarium spp. by testing natural/natural-like molecules that can be applied with sustainable matrices to improve bioavailability of the compounds. Moroccan team of BioMare Laboratory of UCD-CNRST, composed of one microbiologist, two biochemists and two PhD students, carries out investigations on microbiological quality and safety foods.
2020
Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare - ICB - Sede Pozzuoli
Mycotoxins
spices
natural compounds
pathogenic fungi
food safety
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14243/408144
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